SDO12464 - Proposed Racehorse Training Establishment, Okeford Hill, Okeford Fitzpaine, Dorset. Historic environment assessment

'A largely desk-based assessment of the historic environment of a landholding at Okeford Hill, Dorset, has examined all available data sources in order to identify the presence of heritage assets. The purpose of the study has been to identify the principal issues relating to the historic environment that may arise in the design of proposed racehorse training facilities and submission of a planning application. The principal designated assets within the landholding comprise four scheduled monuments on the spur of Okeford Hill that survive as earthworks. It is possible to detect traces on aerial photographs of former arable in the vicinity that are likely to be of both the prehistoric and modern eras. There is no evidence for significant heritage assets on the site of the proposed new facilities, but an earthwork ‘pillow mound’, a scheduled monument, lies within 50m of the site, but at an elevated position above the proposed development. The design of the new facilities will need to consider reducing any effects on the setting of this monument. There is some potential for the presence of unrecorded archaeological remains within the development area.'